1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a so-called vertical pillow type packaging system with an improved flow of articles to be packaged.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional packaging system will be described with reference to FIG. 1 showing one embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, after articles M discharged from a combination weighing apparatus 1 fall downward intermittently to a chute 203, they are packaged continuously by a bagging and packaging machine 200. While the articles M falling from above are filled into a tubular film F, the bagging and packaging machine 200 fuses (seals) and then cuts an upper end F1 of a film F positioned above the articles M by means of sealing jaws 202a provided on a tip end of an end sealer (sealing means) 202, to thereby continuously package products M1.
In the afore-mentioned packaging system, if the articles M are bulky such as potato chips, then they may interfere with one another at a passage-tapered portion A1 of a funnel-like hopper 203, the flow of the articles M become slower or they sometimes form a bridge and completely clog.
To solve such clogging, an auxiliary device 205 referred to as “poker” is provided to force the articles M within a chute 203 to fall downward (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-236408). Namely, the poker 205 is provided with a clapper H. The clapper H projects from an initial position indicated by a solid line into a position indicated by a double-dotted line, thereby forcing the articles M almost clogging within the chute 203 into the chute to cause them to fall downward.
In some cases, however, good operating timing at which the clapper H projects into the chute 203 is not taken and the clogging of the articles M cannot be completely removed. As a result, weight-defective products M1 are packaged and thus system productivity deteriorates. In addition, since the system operates at high speed, large amounts of articles M accumulate in a short period of time if the articles M begin clogging. It takes a lot of time and labor to remove the large amounts of accumulated articles M and restart the system, so that system operativity greatly decreases.
Meanwhile, if the articles M interfere with one another and the flow thereof becomes slower, the distance between a former group of articles M which are now falling and a later group of articles M becomes shorter and accordingly, the sealing means cannot operate at good timing. As a result, part of the later articles M are mixed into the former articles M or part of the former articles M are captured into the later articles M and packaged. As a result, weight-defective products M1 are produced and thus system productivity deteriorates.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to maintain the high productivity (production yield) and operativity of a packaging system by improving the operating timing of an auxiliary device and that of sealing means.